Large area solar thermal collectors with maximum dimensions of many meters are installed on an installation area, wherein adjacent collectors form rows and the installation area comprises a number of adjacent collector rows.
Each self-supported collector is typically installed by means of two installation supports and each support comprises a vertical support pile and an inclined support pile. Lower ends of the vertical and inclined piles are attached to a concrete base or rammed into a ground, and the upper ends are attached to each other so that the base and piles form a triangle. The vertical pile raises an upper edge of a collector and the inclined pile supports a back side of the collector, when the back side leans on it, and provides a desired inclination for the collector.
A collector is lifted directly in its position on the supports, which are arranged on the ground so that the inclined piles locate usually approx. ¼ from each collector side, and attached to the piles. The supports are installed at high pace so that it is difficult for a vehicle with a crane to move between the supports and it needs an extra caution and work to position collectors on the supports.
The adjacent and positioned collectors are connected to each other by corner-to-corner connections, which are provided by 180 degrees bended external flexible metal hoses, whereupon a minimum space between collectors can be approx. 150-200 mm because of the characteristic of the hoses and collector alignment tolerances. The hoses provides external compensation for thermal expansion, but those need a dedicated external hose insulation and protection material.